Literally cannot recommend Mike enough. My puppy Barbie and I work with him 1:1, at my house, and Barbie also loves the Puppy Socialization classes, in Aptos. Mike is the epitome of calm, powerful, energy - Barbie respects and loves him so much. He embodies the values I strive to implement in my dog training - positive techniques, that empower my puppy to "make the right choice." Mike, thank you so much for giving me confidence as a new dog owner. I can't wait to keep working together, to help Barbie be the best dog she can be. read more

Living with Dogs - Barbie - Pet Training Near Me - Aptos, California

Mike is an amazing trainer. He's helped my dog and I make huge progress in a short amount of time. Scheduling was easy, and the training is quality and clear. My reactive Aussie and I are so grateful. read more

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Great gentle training in small classes. The dogs enjoy it, and learn behavior to make their lives and your life easier. read more

Living with Dogs - Pet Training Near Me - Aptos, California

Living with Dogs was referred to me by a neighbor. I bought a 10 class package and registered for my first class. When I showed up, no one was there... it was an online class- d'oh! So, I took the class in the leisure of my own home. I scheduled another class and was sure to look if in person or not and set a reminder Ron my calendar. Well, strike 2 on me. I was 30 min late when I thought I was early. However Mike was very kind. He made the 2nd half of the class applicable to us. He also encouraged us to come back to catch the first half of the class. The field is nice and spacious and plenty of room to separate our dog that needed training. We will definitely be back. BUT, we will be early or on time! read more

I have been taking my pup to Living with Dogs since I rescued her. My vet in Capitola recommended them. We started with socialization which she very much enjoyed. She is now 8 months old and goes once per week To classes that progress as the pup grows older. the facility is very nice with several areas for training. Mike is an excellent trainer that explains things patiently. I feel he is training me as much as my pet. His methods work. I like that it is reward based not punishment. The classes bought in a package are very affordable. I Highly recommend Living With Dogs and I am a satisfied customer. read more

Mike is a phenomenal instructor. Kind, friendly, responsive, and patient. In just a few sessions, he's helped us better understand our dog and work *with* her natural curiosity and energy. If you need a trainer, Mike is the guy. Fo sho. read more

such a waste of money! I took my 7 month old pup, and lee didn't want to get near because of her knee or back problems, totally understandable as she is small and my dog is tall, but i felt like she avoided us the whole class. when she asked to do doggy sit up, i asked what that was and she replied with a "you don't know what they are?" obviously not, i just asked you! and then said it was a sit and down back to back, i told her he didn't know down yet, she did show me how, but then suggested i take another class? the classes aren't chronological. most of the time in class is just spent on your own, you can watch youtube and do it at home. read more

We did Lure Courcing today for the second time with them and are very happy with that business! A lot of fun and very well organized event on very nice green field! Will do again and again and again... Our dog love it ! Thanks from Shasta read more

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I started training my puppy with Living with Dogs 7 years ago. I have learned so much about positive dog training methods. Mac, my Westie, is a beautiful, well trained dog who I can take to work and public places. I attribute this ability to the training methods learned from Sandi. So far we have taken Puppy Preschool, Family Dog, and Agility classes. Mac earned AKC Canine Good Citizenship and Therapy Dog designation. Mac 's favorite activity is Lure Coursing each month. Yesterday, Living With Dogs hosted an awesome Barn Hunting Clinic and Fun Trial it was well organized and flexible, as more dogs showed up than expected. Living With Dogs introduces dog sports in a fun environment. read more

Living with Dogs - Mac, Nose Work Container Search - Pet Training Near Me - Aptos, California

We have had a few classes with Mike and I highly recommend it. He teaches you how to teach your dog. ( you would think all dog training does but you would be wrong). He uses the latest techniques and is great with the dogs. Looking forward to more learning! read more

Living with Dogs to my rescue! I desperately needed a training program to help my boy learn to be a gentleman around other dogs. My big girl Roxy learned her manners under Sandy years ago, so I was eager to see how Mike, who now owns the business, was going to handle things. He's fantastic!! Love him. Super nice, knowledgable, confident and competent. I've also greatly appreciated how thoughtful he's been in making sure that everyone has a positive experience. It's clear that he always has his eye on everything that's going on, and his specific feedback is right on target. My boy's impulse control and tolerance around other dogs has greatly improved. Thank goodness! Oh, and scheduling and cancelling classes is a breeze. read more

Where to start with Mike Colucci?!?! He is AMAZING at training dogs (and their humans). When I first started with with Mike, our Aussie was a nine month old wild boy. He was defiant and I was having a hard time getting him to listen, I was even worried that he and I wouldn't ever bond. I am a lifelong dog owner and all my dogs have had some sort of training but nothing compared to the quality Mike gave us. The moment he walked into our yard, I knew I found the right trainer. Mike was calm and kind with our Aussie (Oso) and with me. He worked with the both of us, reminding me little tricks and tips along the way. Mike is a straight up guy that knows dogs and their behaviors. I highly recommend using him to help work out the little kinks in training and also the big training needs. Oso LOVES Mike and very much benefited from his training and I sure did too. I truly believe the training helped Oso and I bond. We now have this amazing, happy , sweet and not-too-wild Aussie and I would like to attribute a lot of that to Mike's great teaching/training skills! read more

I agree completely with Elle L. Don't waste your time or your money. I left after the 3rd class because she kept on taking more and more dogs every week and the only thing the dogs were learning was "to touch" since she had to start from the beginning every week. It was ridiculous! She ignores the dogs, sits or stays in the same spot the whole time, doesn't really knows the dogs or gets involved with the people. The worst part was that she sent my dog a certificate of achievement at the end of the puppy education. She didn't even know that we were not longer in the class!!!!!!!What a joke! read more

I have been training with Sandi for 6 years now. I have attended puppy, family dog, agility and lure coursing with her. Her style took me some adjustment since I have owned dogs for over 18 years and was used to rushing to the desired behavior. Positive reinforcement is not a rush it is a bonding period between you and your dog that will not be broken if you put the time in, listen and work at it. Nothing in life worth anything is easy is it? We are now attending with our third "Sandi dog" and the breeds I have are not "easy" and Sandi is positive, receptive and always reminds me gently that it is me that the training of a particular behavior isn't working and make this adjustment and it will work...guess what? It does. Her brand of training may take longer but if you put in the time and effort that she does (certainly it is for the love of dogs and not to make millions) you will succeed. Do you want to know why? She will not let you fail if you just ask her for help and follow her advice. To those who want the "quick fix" I wish you the best. I will choose to learn about myself and bond with my dog through positive reinforcement any day and Sandi is an absolute GEM! read more

I may return for the adult classes with Mike, who is a wonderful and knowledgeable instructor and because I purchased a one year course. However, I would not recommend their puppy class as currently modified for COVID, puppies can not socialize at all during class an have no off leash time. I was very disappointed that the owner will not permit any direct socialization in an open air facility, and I would encourage anyone looking for a socialization class to check out dog training in Pacific Grove, it is well worth the drive. I understand COVID restrictions on humans, but not allowing dogs to interact based on the possibility of COVID transmission in dogs really is not evidence based on what we know so far based on the risk and science of zoonotic transmission. I have been taking my dog here since he was 8 weeks old and he is severely under socialized with dogs, which thankfully another dog training group has started to correct. I brought it to their attention and it was dismissed as not a critical component of the course, which I strongly disagree with, and that I should organize puppy play on my own time. If you are needing or looking for proper puppy socialization please consider another facility. read more

I did not take puppy classes with Sandi even though a friend recommended it. Mainly because I was reading an Ian Dunbar book at the time and because where I live.. it was just as far to go to Los Gatos as it was to go to Aptos. i went and did Sirius instead. I really liked my experience at Sirius and my puppy learned some good basic manners with the techniques.. but when i asked the trainer about taking my dog past puppy 1 and puppy 2 she recommended Sandi and Living with Dogs. My first class with Sandi was a doozy because my dog was going thru the height of her rebellious adolescence and she's a very big dog and was dragging me all over the place. Sandi was awesome from the start. I saw instant improvement over the course of 3 classes. I too had heard some of the critiques of the other reviewers about Sandi prior to entering the class but after two series with her.. i've come to the conclusion that people are focusing on how she treats THEM; not how she teaches the dogs. I really don't care if my dog trainer is a people person (Sandi's mannerisms are on the quiet side and isn't very touchy feely.) She's an AWESOME dog person. She takes a long view on building a relationship with you and your dog and her games are fun and the dogs love them. I have a breed that is considered willful at times.. and her techniques really engage my pup's mind. The only reason I gave her 4 stars and not 5.. is because if you have to miss a training session she's not always good at reminding you to make it up. But once again.. i chalk to up to her human communication skills.. not how she trains my dog. So if you want someone to ask about your family and know your kids' names and butter you up about your dog and feed you a bunch of sales pitches... i don't think sandi is your trainer. If you want someone to read your dog and instinctively train in a way that is going to be helpful over the course of dog's life? I say give Sandi a try. read more

We would have been quite lost if I had not found Living with Dogs after moving to the Coast. Our sweet Golden loves people but is anxious around other dogs, especially when on leash. Sandi offers so many resources to help a dog become a more confident and get on better in our human world. Our little girl's obedience has improved, and she has great recalls, whether at the beach or in the woods. She is becoming more comfortable walking and working near more dogs - although that's still work in progress. The Reactive Rover classes were very helpful in teaching us to "read" our dog and giving us helpful "tools" to better manage and improve her fearfulness. Sandi is always thinking of new ways to teach us things, and has such a wealth of learning and understanding of dog behavior. We've had a lot of fun in Family Dog classes with Irene at the Aptos field, and doing Capitola Real World Walks and Nosework with Sandi. Sandi can be direct at times, but is also very gentle, patient and kind-hearted -- always wanting the best for dog and family. Training and building trust and teamwork with our dog at LWD has been super rewarding. So glad they are nearby! read more

Sandi knows so much about dogs that sometimes I watch what she's doing with a pup and I'm just amazed. Our dog is wonderful and we love her but she can be difficult -- she has so much energy that she's hard to train, and she's fearful. Of course we've covered the basics in class, but Sandi has also shown me how to manage all those problem behaviors too -- pulling on the leash, barking at people, not coming when called, chasing the neighbor's cat, and just generally being a hyper dog. Its taken patience to stick to a positive reward system but its really working! Our dog needed those positive rewards to learn to trust her people and remain calm. Any other system would have totally backfired -- it would have increased her fearfulness and I probably would have ended up with an agressive dog. We still have a ways to go but what a difference! Now she's walking on a loose leash, she barks less, she doesn't chase the cat, she comes right away when I call. She doesn't have to try to defend herself from "scary" dogs or people because Sandi taught me to read her body language and intervene or call her away when she gets anxious. Love it! I only wished I'd learned all this earlier. read more

I really enjoyed the positive training methods I learned. My untrained, newly adopted 1 year old unresponsive dog became an entirely different, positive, confident pleasure to be around companion. read more

Sandi knows more about dogs than any trainer I've met. I'm a dog trainer too, so I know quite a few! Her ability to "read" your dog is amazing, and instant. She has a special knack for suggesting just the right remedy. I've seen her stop a potential dog fight with just one word (phew!) Her school has 3 trainersand 3 locations. The week is filled with classes, 5 days/week. Puppies, adult dogs, and lots of sports -- agility, treiball (doggie soccer), and nose games (sniff out the treats, dogs love it). And also help for fearful reactive dogs. My favorite training location is a beautiful soccer field in Aptos. Its private, well tended and enclosed. Its also available off-hours to students who want to play/exercise their dogs. Nice. read more

I searched the Santa Cruz County area for a dog training program that was positive, reward based. I didn't want to be punishing or negative in my relationship with my dog. I have been training my dogs for the past year & a half with Living With Dogs and I have been so pleased with all the classes we've participated in. My dogs have been through Puppy School, Family Dog (obedience) Agility, & Nosework (a great scent detecting sport). I have experienced a greater, deeper bond with my dogs grow through these training programs. I proudly recommend this program to everyone who really loves their dog. read more

Living with Dogs - Pet Training Near Me - Aptos, California

Horrible puppy training class, don't waste your time nor money. Better puppy classes in town to choose from than Sandi Pensinger's, plus she has this ridiculous refund policy which is No Refunds once the first class starts, how stupid is that? Probably is so, so she does not have to give back money to unsatisfied customers or realize how many dissatisfied customers of hers that are out there. I agree with what the other poster said in their review, it was basically the same experience for me. I have met maybe a dozen or so people since taking her class, when my dog and I have been at a neighborhood dog park, and believe it or not, everyone has had similar bad experience, negative comments and opinions about taking Sandi's Living with Dogs puppy classes. Most shared that they stopped going because it was so stressful, did not care for Sandi as a trainer or the quality of her classes. Basically with her Positive Training, one is throwing their dogs treats, in hopes that the dogs are distracted enough to pause for a moment with their 'bad' behavior. Really ridiculous and probably not very healthy to feed our dogs that many treats in one hour. Besides- since new puppies are always coming in during the course of the 2 months until your pup turns 5 months, skills are never built upon and the older student pups keep doing the same things over and over, never progressing further. Waste of time and money. Her puppy classes were more stressful than useful. read more

Sandi came highly recommended so I decided to give Living with Dogs a chance for my newly adopted Terrier. While Sandi has great information and access to class materials and recommendations (included in the sign-up fee) are very helpful, I have been disappointed with how the class itself is conducted. Sandi does not train with a dog of her own, and very rarely uses a dog to demonstrate what she is talking about. While this works for the first class or two when you are dealing with a simple sit or calling the dogs name, it quickly escalates to being more involved and the participants can easily get lost. In addition, she rarely walks around and gives individual input, but stays in her spot talking on the microphone. In addition, I've noticed that sometimes she just starts and ends class early without telling anyone. It is frustrating to arrive 10 minutes early and realize she has already started your class. While Sandi has great info and knowledge, the $145 6-week class simply isn't for those looking for hands-on attention or even a demonstration. If I decide to continue with additional training it will not be with Living with Dogs. read more

We've taken several classes from Sandi with our extra smart but sensitive and snappy corgi/cattledog mix - the basic Family Dog class, and several agility classes. I've also taken agility courses elsewhere, so I can compare. Here's my thoughts on why Sandi is amazing: 1. She knows dogs and dog behaviors. Hands down. Lip licking, dog running down field constantly, dog looking at you a lot (or not) - she gets what these seemingly normal behaviors really mean and helps you work with your dog so your dog is comfortable. 2. Speaking of dog comfort - she wants your dog to be happy, have a good time, not be nervous. It's not "just get the dog to behave" - it's creating a positive environment and relationship between you and your dog. So it's the really owner who gets trained. 3. I like that she expects us to work on things during the week so we can make progress at each class. I don't like wasting a ton of time on one or two dogs because the owners just show up each week and expect it all to happen there. I bet some people don't like that and feel singled out, hence a few negative reviews (unwarranted, in my opinion). 4. Specific to agility classes: My dog was doing great on some equipment, and had big fears on a couple of the other pieces in a different class. When I switched to Sandi's classes, she had my dog tearing over those once-feared obstacles in under 10 minutes. Her personal demeanor is so non-threatening to dogs, and she has a seemingly limitless bag of tricks to help your dog overcome any obstacle. And she breaks everything down into small steps to achieve success. It's really amazing to see, actually. So to sum it up, I am constantly recommending Sandi's classes to people who want to develop a positive relationship with their dog as the means to changing their dog's more challenging behaviors. The classes have been small, the space is great (a big field in Aptos). And I can't possibly recommend anyone else for agility classes. As the human, I have to work very hard for my dog in these classes, and it really pays off in the end. read more

Love classes with Sandi! We have two dogs that are really still puppies, at 9 & 10 months. So far our oldest has been through all the classes and the 9 month old is about to start Family Dog 3/4. Positive training is the way to go and we have two very well balanced puppies; we thank Sandi for her help. It certainly requires a lot of work, not just in class but outside of class with our pups to expect the best outcome and Sandi certainly made this clear. When I did not get it, she helped myself and puppy understand what she was showing us. Hey, I am just a human, right? I can't always get it right and she was able to train us puppy parents to train our puppies with a lot of patience and love. I look forward to future classes, especially the Agility but we need to wait until our puppies are a bit older. I really do look forward to working with Sandi again and will continue to be a very happy puppy parent to Luca and Pippa!! read more

I cannot recommend this business. While I have no doubt Sandi wants to see the dogs in her classes do well, and I commend her for promoting kind methods, and I do believe she knows her stuff, my experience with Living With Dogs was disappointing. Too much class time was wasted talking rather than working with the dogs. Instruction was disorganized, haphazard, seemingly improvised on the spot. My dog was no better trained or better behaved when the course was completed than when it began, and I was no more informed about how to handle my dog at the end than I was at the beginning. I felt my time and money had been wasted. I might as well have read training manuals and worked on my own. Dog training classes are about training the owners as much as they are about teaching the dogs. Sandi has, as has been noted by others here, poor people skills. If you cannot engage a group of humans, you aren't going to be very effective in helping them help their dogs. She is not openly warm and friendly with the dogs, either, which I found odd, and she keeps her own dogs in her car for extended periods during classes (too much crate or car time is a red flag for me when it comes to dog trainers). Just not my type of person, I'm afraid. More pertinent for this review, however, is that she is not my type of trainer. I have since worked with another dog trainer who is more upbeat, dynamic, personable, goal-oriented, and hands-on with my dog...and with me. I have seen much improvement in both of us, and I've seen a happier dog. read more

I have had a great experience training my dog at the Living with Dogs school. My dog is a very hyper 45 lb. aussie mix. My dog and I took puppy class, family dog class and now we are in the intermediate class. The trainers have seemingly unlimited knowledge of dogs and positive, humane training. They explain the exercises, give a demonstration and then we get to work on the exercise with one on one time with them. Finding the time to practice has been a challenge at times, but when we do practice and exercise before class it makes a huge difference and we are improving. We still have a lot to learn but I am very grateful to Sandi and the staff at Living with Dogs for coaching us. I just wish they had more late evening classes. We are really excited about doing agility next! read more

I have been taking my puppy to puppy school and now obedience 1 and obedience 2. I have had great results. I attend the Aptos trainings with Sandi and find them to be very informative. I bring a training/obedience issue to Sandi each week and she provides great feedback and strategies to address it. I will continue to go to Living with Dogs for other classes once we are out of the puppy stage. I highly recommend it for your dog. read more

We enrolled Alli in puppy classes after taking her to dog 1 which I would not recommend for a puppy that is not socialized. We took her to puppy class. She would hide under the couch for two weeks till she came out and had some fun. At class she responded well to the the program. When she was well socialized we started the year program. Alli was always the star of the class. At home she is the master of her territory. Because Alli is an alpha hunter and has an extreme prey drive, we use a collar as a reminder when we are in the field. We only use a tone to get her attention; thanks to Living with Dogs. At home she responds to what we have learned in class. This review is something that I would have never thought I would write. I always trained my dogs the traditional way. Hard on me and hard on the animal. Living with Dogs taught me a better way read more

To date, I have taken a total of four classes at Living with Dogs. Until recently, I have never been a dog owner, but now I am the proud owner of two German Shepherds. When I was trying to find a dog training facility, I was very apprehensive and wanted to make the right choice. As soon as I came to the Living With Dogs training facility, I knew that I had made the right decision. The trainer, Sandi Pensinger, really knows her business. In my first puppy training class I learned about reading my dog's body language and learned some basic dog training methods. As soon as I completed my first puppy class I immediately signed up for a more advanced training class. Throughout all the training, I continue to learn a lot about my dog and training techniques. Not only did I learn a lot about my dog, my dog's confidence grew as she was successful with the training methods. Currently, I am taking my second nose training class at Living With Dogs which is a class that teaches dogs to locate and find various scents. My dog and I really enjoy going to the training. Living With Dogs has been a positive experience for me and my dog. I would highly recommend Living With Dogs to anyone that is interested in dog training. read more

Who knew training your dog could be so much fun! With Sandi Pensinger at Living With Dogs, it's fun and games, positive reinforcement, endless patience with both dogs and their people. I've worked with many different trainers with my challenging rescue dog, and most have one plan which may or may not work for you or your dog. I found that Sandi has the best resources at hand so she is able to utilize alternative training methods as needed, but all alternatives are positive. She will help you turn a chore into a hobby with lots of fun for you and your dog. Life is short: play with your dog! read more

We took our dog to Sandi for agility classes. Agility training was a commitment and a lot of work. Sandi was great at guiding us through the process. With her positive training techniques we found an excellent outlet for our dog's energy, and appreciation for her drive and talent. Also, the foundational training for agility gave us better skills as dog owners, and a very well behaved dog. Lure coursing is another activity that Sandi offers which is fun for us and our dog. We were amazed at how fast our dog could run, and how much she loves to run the course. Currently we are enrolled in the Treibball course which I'm am sure will be another fun thing to do with our dog. We are very happy that we met Sandi, and grateful because she helped us recognize what an amazing dog we have. read more

Just awful. I took a slightly reactive, insecure, young dog to Sandi's "Reactive Rover" class, and ended up, weeks later, with a snarling, edge-of-dangerous, hyper-reactive dog that needed many weeks of behavior modification training...by a better trainer. Sandi Pessinger may have the chops for basic dog training -- I assume that she must, given the success of her business, although I saw no sign of that skill -- but she is neither knowledgable about, nor specifically trained in, animal behavior modification. For the RR class Sandi used a training (or, more correctly, behavior modification) protocol I am very familiar with, so I know that she interpreted the technique incorrectly. The point of this training is to let the dog know he can choose to retreat from a perceived "threat," so he never feels overwhelmed enough that he needs to be aggressive. In training for this, you and your dog approach a "trigger" (another dog, in this class) then turn around and go in the opposite direction when your dog shows signs of arousal. This should all be done in a calm but upbeat manner. In Sandi's interpretation, though, what we ended up doing was essentially baiting the dogs. Each handler would approach the the trigger dog from a distance, then when the trainee dog exhibited signs of arousal we were instructed to turn around and RUN away from the trigger, while excitedly praising the dog. This teaches the dog to be agitated and aroused when he sees another dog, which is entirely against the main point of the class. The first day of class all the dogs sat quietly together while we waited for the (late) instructor. (We were then admonished that we were not to bring the dogs to the first class, yet no one had notified us of this.) Sandi noted the calmness of the dogs (she commented on it), so she should have customized the class to suit that group of mildly reactive dogs. But she didn't change a thing. The dogs were kept -- strictly -- apart after that, and each worked separately while the others waited in their owners' cars. This just amped up any reactivity, as the dogs learned that the other dogs were somehow off limits and therefore threatening. Other issues: One class was wasted on Sandi telling us how to cover up the car windows and otherwise isolate our dogs, suggesting calming supplements and leashes, etc. -- information that could have been issued in a handout -- while another class consisted of watching a video at her home (something we could do on our own time, no?). Sandi was so late for one class that the thing was a wash (hours wasted). And the first time Sandi approached my dog -- the dog who was there because he was reactive -- she approached head-on while staring directly into his eyes, stood over him (staring hard, still, with a stern look), and said to him, in an unfriendly voice,"You have a big nose." Very odd, very inappropriate, very unprofessional. And actually damaging to the dog's training. A knowledgeable trainer would never approach an insecure dog (or any dog) that way. And finally, Sandi brought her dogs (high-energy Jack Russel terriers) with her to class and kept them crated in a hot car. She gets a fail from me for that alone. As I said, just awful. read more

sandi has helped we with a number of dogs that I have. She has a very positive way of teaching us and our dogs how to live together. I have done everything from puppy training to triball tp lure coursing. I have always had a great experience and my dogs LOVE to see her!!! read more

Horrible experience. I just got a new puppy and was calling around to look for puppy classes. I called the number listed on google, a lady answered who was very sweet and encouraged I go to the first class. I was under the impression that once I go to the class I could ask as many questions because the lady told me I could do so, like any other place where you're investing your money, I should be available too. I thought that it was also strange that I couldn't bring my puppy to class to see if it was right for my puppy. That's another thing I didn't like. Once I got there, I was observing and watching how Sandi was, I remember asking maybe like two questions and she shut me down with a rude response. Her response was to me asking a question was that I couldn't ask her anymore until I payed for classes, and that I was wasting everyone's time for the people who paid to be there and that they were only allowed to ask questions. Not only was that ridiculous but it was SO rude, it made me feel uncomfortable but some of the people in the class. She's smart though, she started thinking about money and told me she stay after class. Don't waste your money her atleast. She didn't teach very well either, while I watched she didn't demonstrate much and talked mostly about personal experiences with her dogs. 365 dollars she blew just from being rude, I hope she doesn't do this to anyone else. Only giving one star because I have too. read more